Anklet

Anklet

This word does not occur in Scripture, but the ornament which it denotes is clearly indicated by "the tinkling (or jingling) ornaments (עֶכֶס, ekes) about the feet" mentioned in the curious description of female attire which we find in Isaiah 3 SEE ATTIRE. Even in the absence of special notice, we might very safely conclude that an ornament to which the Oriental women have always been so partial (Thomson's Land and Book, 1, 182) was not unknown to the Jewish ladies. The Egyptian monuments represent them as worn by men likewise (Wilkinson, 3, 375). The figures below represent different styles of anklets, as found on the Egyptian monuments, and in use at present (particularly by females) among the Egyptians, Persians, Arabs, and Hindoos. Anklets of solid gold or silver are worn by some ladies, but are more uncommon than they formerly were. They are, of course, very heavy, and knocking together as the wearer walks, make a ringing noise; hence it is said in a song, "The ringing of thy anklets has deprived me of reason" (Lane's Mod. Egyptians, 2, 410). This practice, nevertheless, is forbidden in the Koran (24:31). This prohibition, however, perhaps rather refers (see Chardin, 1:133, 148, 194) to the small bells used by females, especially dancing girls, around the ankles (Lane, ib. 2, 368). To increase this pleasant sound, pebbles were sometimes enclosed in them (Calmet, s.v. Periscelides, Bells). Tertullian discountenances them (De cult. femin. 2, 13). They were sometimes of great value, but the poorer village children wear them of iron. For their use among the ancient Egyptians, see Wilkinson, 3, 374, and among the ancient Greeks and Romans, Smith's Dict. of Class. Ant. s.v. Periscelis. They do not, we believe, occur in the Nineveh sculptures. Livingstone writes of the favorite wife of an African chief, "She wore a profusion of iron rings on her ankles, to which were attached little pieces of sheet iron to enable her to make a tinkling as she walked in her mincing African style" (p. 273). On the weight and inconvenience of the copper rings worn by the chiefs themselves, and the odd walk it causes them to adopt, see id. p. 276. SEE BRACELET.